Seeking Feedback on Career Transition: From Firefighter to Remote Work/Digital Nomad

[DragonDF]

As I do not want to study at the University of the People, some of you suggested TESU and UMPI. 


About UMPI I could read:

How long will it take me to complete my program?

That depends entirely on you! If you have a lot of prior coursework to transfer in and the freedom to dedicate a lot of time to your coursework, you can complete the program in as few as 12 months. The amount of time it takes is dependent on the number of credits transferred in and the time you have to study and complete your competency work.

Link: https://www.umpi.edu/yourpace/faqs/

If I transfer 75% of the credits (or more, if possible), can I finish this degree in less than 2 months (8 weeks)?

Will the price per term be the same, U$ 2,350?

How can my experience help me earn my degree?

Your real-life experience and prior knowledge counts! Using competency assessments, you can quickly earn credit for what you already know. Proving your knowledge by satisfying competencies through assessments means that you may significantly shorten the length of time it takes to complete your degree, as well as decreasing the total cost of the program.


How many credit hours can I transfer?

There is no limit to the number of credit hours you can transfer.



How can I earn credit for my prior work experience?

Credit for Prior Learning Assessment (CPL) represents a process designed to give students course credit based on prior knowledge they have gained through experience outside of the classroom. We have a variety of different options that are available to you as a YourPace student and these include testing, certifications, and portfolio creation. You can get much more information on this process by talking to a member of our YourPace team.



How much will my degree cost?

YourPace is a flat rate tuition program ($1,700 for undergraduate, $2,350 for graduate per eight-week session) and you can take as many courses as you like, as you progress at your own pace, during each session.


How many credit hours is a YourPace program?

All of our undergraduate YourPace programs lead to a Bachelor’s degree, which requires a total of 120 credit hours. The graduate YourPace program leads to a Master’s degree, which requires a total of 36 credit hours.



How many competencies can I take in a session?

You can take as many competencies as you can successfully complete within an eight-week session. Your advisor will work with you on scheduling to help ensure you are maximizing your time within the program.

As a proficiency language test I could compare Duolingo as the less expensive. 


Do TESU and UMPI have physical buildings in the USA? Or only P.O. box like the University of the People?

Which one is the cheapest option for International students?



=====

FREE MASTER'S DEGREE:

Is this University a new University of the People? (if yes, at least they do not ask tuition like administrative fees)


https://www.wqu.edu/faq

What programs does WQU offer?

WQU offers a two-year Master of Science in Financial Engineering (MScFE) Program and a continuing education, credentialed Applied Data Science Lab. Both offerings are entirely free and delivered 100% online.


Is WQU accredited? What does that mean?

WorldQuant University is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). DEAC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Distance Education Accrediting Commission
1101 17th Street NW, Suite 808
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 234-5100
Becoming accredited is a formal recognition that WorldQuant University and its programs have been vetted for quality and consistency. As part of the Distance Education Accrediting Commission’s (DEAC) accreditation process, WQU was evaluated in areas that include academic quality, curriculum requirements, faculty, student services, ethical business practice, academic support services, learning and research resources, administrative capacity, and financial capacity.




Where is WQU located?

WQU does not have a campus as all our courses are delivered 100% online.
Our mailing address is:
WorldQuant University
201 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 2500
New Orleans, LA 70170




Can I get transfer credit for previous coursework?

Students can receive transfer credit for a maximum of 8 semester credit hours in the MSc in Financial Engineering Program (20.5% of the credit hours required to graduate). If you have previously completed similar graduate-level coursework, you might be eligible for transfer credit. We recommend that you apply for transfer credit before enrolling at WQU. Your request will be evaluated by the Academic Dean and you will be notified of the decision. For more details on the transfer of credit policy at WQU, please refer to our Catalog.

It will be much better to do a Master's degree with WQU than with University of the People because WQU is 100% free. 

Have you ever read about it?

[bjcheung77]

Hello,
Sorry to come in private but the question is not in my thread.
I read it here:
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...er+science

Can I finish an UMPI degree in 1 month? 30 credits? (90 + 30 = 120)?
If I focus all my day to study to it?
1 month = $700 ?

I could not see this strategy in Wiki.

Tks

No, it's 8 weeks for $1700, 30 credits in one session...

In addition to what I mentioned above, you may want to just go for an Applied Masters in Computer Science, I really don't see the need to complete another undergraduate degree when you can test the waters by completing the Coursera/Edx cheapies or freebies (especially the ones with comp sci, data science, programming, software development or engineering and Business or IT)...

[LevelUP]

Logically, the question is: How do I get from point A to point B as quickly as possible?

• If you want to be a coder, focus on learning programming languages and building projects.
  
  
• If you want to be a website designer, master the art of building websites and gain experience through hands-on projects.
  
  
• If you want to be a writer, dedicate yourself to improving your writing skills and practice consistently.
  

While college degrees can be a good starting point, skills are the ultimate deciding factor in careers that rely heavily on expertise.

[ss20ts]

Somewhere up above someone asked about UMPI. UMPI is a state university with a physical campus in Presque Isle, Maine. Until the last year or so there were more students on campus than in YourPace. It's part of the University of Maine system.

[DragonDF]

Hello,
Sorry to come in private but the question is not in my thread.
I read it here:
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...er+science

Can I finish an UMPI degree in 1 month? 30 credits? (90 + 30 = 120)?
If I focus all my day to study to it?
1 month = $700 ?

I could not see this strategy in Wiki.

Tks

No, it's 8 weeks for $1700, 30 credits in one session...

In addition to what I mentioned above, you may want to just go for an Applied Masters in Computer Science, I really don't see the need to complete another undergraduate degree when you can test the waters by completing the Coursera/Edx cheapies or freebies (especially the ones with comp sci, data science, programming, software development or engineering and Business or IT)...

I plan to apply for a few remote jobs to understand the knowledge requirements in the market.
For the past year, I have been completing Coursera courses in data science and software development.

Although I don't need a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, I considered it as a potential option if it were affordable and quick—say, around $2,000 total cost. The University of the People is not an option any more.

I will ask some companies if my postgraduate degree (IT area) can be evaluated as a Master's Degree in the USA, especially considering my teaching experience in the IT area. This could be a much cheaper and faster option.

---

Logically, the question is: How do I get from point A to point B as quickly as possible?

• If you want to be a coder, focus on learning programming languages and building projects.
  
  
• If you want to be a website designer, master the art of building websites and gain experience through hands-on projects.
  
  
• If you want to be a writer, dedicate yourself to improving your writing skills and practice consistently.
  

While college degrees can be a good starting point, skills are the ultimate deciding factor in careers that rely heavily on expertise.

If you want to be a coder, focus on learning programming languages and building projects

I am already a coder. 

If you want to be a website designer, master the art of building websites and gain experience through hands-on projects.

I am the owner of some websites and domains over the internet. 

I have some experience creating websites since 2005.

• If you want to be a writer, dedicate yourself to improving your writing skills and practice consistently.
  

I am writing a Law book (I am a lawyer too). I hope I can finish it in the next 6 months.


Thank you!

---

Somewhere up above someone asked about UMPI. UMPI is a state university with a physical campus in Presque Isle, Maine. Until the last year or so there were more students on campus than in YourPace. It's part of the University of Maine system.

It looks like a good option if you are 20 years or older. If not, you can not be part of the YourPace program.
I have a son and he is 16 years old. He could not be part of this program. 


TESU, for example, will ask you more than U$ 2,3K just as a "residency waiver". It is a lot expensive for international students. 

I am trying to find others options to him in the Computer Science area. 


Thank you!

[tdat314]

Hello,
Sorry to come in private but the question is not in my thread.
I read it here:
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...er+science

Can I finish an UMPI degree in 1 month? 30 credits? (90 + 30 = 120)?
If I focus all my day to study to it?
1 month = $700 ?

I could not see this strategy in Wiki.

Tks

No, it's 8 weeks for $1700, 30 credits in one session...

In addition to what I mentioned above, you may want to just go for an Applied Masters in Computer Science, I really don't see the need to complete another undergraduate degree when you can test the waters by completing the Coursera/Edx cheapies or freebies (especially the ones with comp sci, data science, programming, software development or engineering and Business or IT)...

I plan to apply for a few remote jobs to understand the knowledge requirements in the market.
For the past year, I have been completing Coursera courses in data science and software development.

Although I don't need a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, I considered it as a potential option if it were affordable and quick—say, around $2,000 total cost. The University of the People is not an option any more.

I will ask some companies if my postgraduate degree (IT area) can be evaluated as a Master's Degree in the USA, especially considering my teaching experience in the IT area. This could be a much cheaper and faster option.

---

Logically, the question is: How do I get from point A to point B as quickly as possible?

• If you want to be a coder, focus on learning programming languages and building projects.
  
  
• If you want to be a website designer, master the art of building websites and gain experience through hands-on projects.
  
  
• If you want to be a writer, dedicate yourself to improving your writing skills and practice consistently.
  

While college degrees can be a good starting point, skills are the ultimate deciding factor in careers that rely heavily on expertise.

If you want to be a coder, focus on learning programming languages and building projects

I am already a coder. 

If you want to be a website designer, master the art of building websites and gain experience through hands-on projects.

I am the owner of some websites and domains over the internet. 

I have some experience creating websites since 2005.

• If you want to be a writer, dedicate yourself to improving your writing skills and practice consistently.
  

I am writing a Law book (I am a lawyer too). I hope I can finish it in the next 6 months.


Thank you!

---

Somewhere up above someone asked about UMPI. UMPI is a state university with a physical campus in Presque Isle, Maine. Until the last year or so there were more students on campus than in YourPace. It's part of the University of Maine system.

It looks like a good option if you are 20 years or older. If not, you can not be part of the YourPace program.
I have a son and he is 16 years old. He could not be part of this program. 


TESU, for example, will ask you more than U$ 2,3K just as a "residency waiver". It is a lot expensive for international students. 

I am trying to find others options to him in the Computer Science area. 


Thank you!

To be honest, you are claiming a lot of things in this thread and its starting to edge into not quite as believable territory. If you already have so many degrees and credentials, why are you really looking for more? 

"Having a law degree/being lawyer" is what is making me questions the validity of this thread at this point. It seems like if you have this much experience and prior knowledge, you would be able to transition to any field you'd really be interested in without much difficulty.

[ss20ts]

If one were a lawyer then they would understand that one cannot typically just work in IT around the globe as a nomad. Companies typically own the laptop or desktop sent to remote employees. There are employment laws which companies must adhere to thus working anywhere isn't realistic. Adding your own VPN isn't possible on many company computers. I am married to a remote IT worker who has been remote for 19 years. Every company they've been with has had NUMEROUS restrictions on remote work. And they do know where you are as there is software on the laptops. They can only VPN with the software provided on the laptop. Any additional software has to be approved by the company so they can't just download and install Google Chrome for example. It's not as simple as many people believe.

[Jonathan Whatley]

We have a few people with unusually large numbers of degrees, unsurprising for "DegreeForum." It's especially believable that someone in a country with a low cost of higher education has the degrees the OP lists.

There's some remote IT work that can be done in any country, but there's fierce competition in the "workers in any country" market.